This invention relates to magnetic separator systems and methods of use thereof. The invention is particularly concerned with the magnetic separation of magnetically susceptible solid particles from a flowing stream of fluid. The fluid may be liquid or gaseous. The invention is especially concerned with the separation of particles of a relatively higher magnetic susceptibility from particles of a relatively lower or zero magnetic susceptibility in a flowing stream of fluid.
The term "particle" as used above and throughout the remainder of the specification refers, unless the context dictates otherwise, to sizes ranging from the sub-micrometer to several millimeters or more.
It has been proposed to use magnetic separators for the separation of magnetic particles from non-magnetic particles, the magnetic separators utilising superconducting magnets. In British Patent Specification No. 1202100, there is described a magnetic separator in which a superconducting magnet is used to pull magnetically susceptible particles from a small separating zone. The particles are in a fluidised feed and the feed is surrounded by wash fluid, the two streams passing downwardly through the small separating zone under the influence of gravity or by being pumped through the zone. The magnetic particles are only influenced by the magnetic field for a very short period of time in such a separator. This necessarily limits the degree of separation which can occur.